Doctors are expected to do many things: listen to their patients, order testing which will correctly identify the medical ailment that is plaguing their patient, and then offer treatment. During surgery, at the very least, surgeons are expected to complete the surgery that they are performing. According to one family, their loved one's surgeon failed to complete a heart surgery before leaving the operating room and as a result, the patient has been in a coma ever since.
Surgeon Leaves Operating Theater Before Closing Patient's Chest
According to the lawsuit filed against Dr. Pervaiz Chaudhry, the surgeon began an open heart procedure on a 70-year-old patient. Before completing the surgery, he left the operating room and indicated that a physicians assistant should close the man's chest.
Although physicians assistants do undergo rigorous medical training and have to pass testing in order to become licensed, they are not allowed to perform a surgical closure without a doctor overseeing the procedure.
The plaintiff's further alleged that hospital admin was aware of the fact that the surgeon would regularly leave surgeries uncompleted and that he would also leave the hospital premises before patient's were stabilized and in post-anesthesia care but did nothing to stop it.
After he left the room, the patient began to bleed excessively and had such great blood loss that he went into cardiac arrest. Although his life was saved, he has been in a coma ever since the operation six years ago.
During the trial it was revealed that the family only learned that he had left the room after an anonymous complaint was made to the state medical board and an investigation into the matter was made. Ultimately, Chaudhry was fine, suspended for 14-days, and then required to undergo additional training.
The jury also heard about numerous complaints made by hospital staff about how Chaudhry behaved at work. Complaints addressed numerous issues including threats issued to staff members by the surgeon if they reported him for poor behavior, failing to respond in a timely manner to pages, his use of discriminatory comments about coworkers sexuality, and other issues which created an overall hostile work environment.
During the trial the defendant was not present and was simply represented by his attorney who indicated he was in Pakistan visiting family.
Jury Finds Surgeon At-Fault
After a lengthy trial, the jury found Chaudhry negligent and awarded the plaintiffs, who are the wife and son of the patient who has been in a coma for six years, $68 million.
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